Perhaps late off the mark for a review of 2013 in a manner I've done since '08 but here it is. I think was a good year for me in automotive terms - several 'firsts' I reckon which is always nice.
New Years Day at The Phoenix, Hartley Wintney. (Sadly 2014's review won't have anything from today as the weather is so horrible I stayed in bed.)
February saw a day trip to Retromobile. It adds a massive sense of occasion to head over the water (or rather through the tunnel) to an event and then end up with a 'romantic' Parisian dinner with Mrs_Seth and, err, two other chaps. The show itself is a bit good too. Don't think I've ever seen a 512BBLM before.
911 birthday prototype.
Unique Lamborghini wagon tucked in a corner.
Biggest ever gathering of Helicas.
On slightly more normal territory, Goodwood Breakfast Club in March.
Wheels Day.
The best Anglia I've seen in recent years.
April saw the only real landmark in my own projects, of the Oxford rolling on wheels for the first time in several years.
Borgward club AGM.
May: Ace Cafe Spring Riot.
Donington Historic Festival is definitely on my list again for 2014. Loved watching and hearing a Mercedes C9 on track. (rather than for a single instant at the FoS)
Proper noisy and exciting Vintage race cars.
And some wonderful dicing in the saloon car race until its very sad early end which put a downer on the day.
Later in May I was silly enough to organise another London Dawn Drive.
Followed straight on by Motorsport at the Palace.where several RR zombies could be seen walking around/sleeping.
It was my first time there without a photog pass but I think the nature of the event is such that there is just as good access for spectators to get nice pictures.
Day after was Enfield Pageant. I always like seeing Dame Edna spec BMWs
Into June at the Ace.
And swiftly into July and the Retro Show at Santa Pod.
and just one of my visits to the Ace Classic night.
July also saw me shooting my first ever car feature for a print magazine which was an interesting experience.
The day after I was out early and headed to Goodwood for the moving motorshow day of the Festival of Speed. We'd decided not to do the FoS weekend as a family this year but I was still drawn down on this 'set up' day. Still plenty of old stuff to see even if it was static rather than going up the hill. The paddock and concours are two of my favourite bits anyway.
The Phantom Corsair was one of the cars I really wanted to see having missed its previous appearance.
Towards the end of the month we went along to the Brooklands autojumble
though the main reason for being there was to shoot some more magazine photos. A bit more hurriedly arranged this time at the end of the day with less time to set things up but it still worked out OK.
Classics on the Common was a brilliant as ever.
This Rometsch coupe is a wonderful thing.
At the NSRA Supernats in August this modified really stood out.
Then we headed across the channel, by car and boat this time for a proper good holiday. The first Sunday saw us chance upon a local village car show, with this excellent line up of Panhards amogst a couple of hundred other cars.
One of the main reasons for heading to Alsace was to go to the Schlumpf collection. I rarely use the word awesome, but this place was that and more.
And then on our last whole day in the area we searched out some historic rallying.
Heading home over the Vosges.
September was Goodwood Revival time, in lieu of the FoS.
I shan't forget the GT race for a long time, mostly for how wet I got.
Last 'big' event of the year was Kop Hill. Norman Dewis was presiding over the Ecurie Ecosse collection that was being seen together for the last time.
A late in the year visit to the Ace popped up this Minx estate. I want one of those.
And finally in automotive terms, the London to Brighton run in December.
Here's to good times in '14.
New Years Day at The Phoenix, Hartley Wintney. (Sadly 2014's review won't have anything from today as the weather is so horrible I stayed in bed.)
February saw a day trip to Retromobile. It adds a massive sense of occasion to head over the water (or rather through the tunnel) to an event and then end up with a 'romantic' Parisian dinner with Mrs_Seth and, err, two other chaps. The show itself is a bit good too. Don't think I've ever seen a 512BBLM before.
911 birthday prototype.
Unique Lamborghini wagon tucked in a corner.
Biggest ever gathering of Helicas.
On slightly more normal territory, Goodwood Breakfast Club in March.
Wheels Day.
The best Anglia I've seen in recent years.
April saw the only real landmark in my own projects, of the Oxford rolling on wheels for the first time in several years.
Borgward club AGM.
May: Ace Cafe Spring Riot.
Donington Historic Festival is definitely on my list again for 2014. Loved watching and hearing a Mercedes C9 on track. (rather than for a single instant at the FoS)
Proper noisy and exciting Vintage race cars.
And some wonderful dicing in the saloon car race until its very sad early end which put a downer on the day.
Later in May I was silly enough to organise another London Dawn Drive.
Followed straight on by Motorsport at the Palace.where several RR zombies could be seen walking around/sleeping.
It was my first time there without a photog pass but I think the nature of the event is such that there is just as good access for spectators to get nice pictures.
Day after was Enfield Pageant. I always like seeing Dame Edna spec BMWs
Into June at the Ace.
And swiftly into July and the Retro Show at Santa Pod.
and just one of my visits to the Ace Classic night.
July also saw me shooting my first ever car feature for a print magazine which was an interesting experience.
The day after I was out early and headed to Goodwood for the moving motorshow day of the Festival of Speed. We'd decided not to do the FoS weekend as a family this year but I was still drawn down on this 'set up' day. Still plenty of old stuff to see even if it was static rather than going up the hill. The paddock and concours are two of my favourite bits anyway.
The Phantom Corsair was one of the cars I really wanted to see having missed its previous appearance.
Towards the end of the month we went along to the Brooklands autojumble
though the main reason for being there was to shoot some more magazine photos. A bit more hurriedly arranged this time at the end of the day with less time to set things up but it still worked out OK.
Classics on the Common was a brilliant as ever.
This Rometsch coupe is a wonderful thing.
At the NSRA Supernats in August this modified really stood out.
Then we headed across the channel, by car and boat this time for a proper good holiday. The first Sunday saw us chance upon a local village car show, with this excellent line up of Panhards amogst a couple of hundred other cars.
One of the main reasons for heading to Alsace was to go to the Schlumpf collection. I rarely use the word awesome, but this place was that and more.
And then on our last whole day in the area we searched out some historic rallying.
Heading home over the Vosges.
September was Goodwood Revival time, in lieu of the FoS.
I shan't forget the GT race for a long time, mostly for how wet I got.
Last 'big' event of the year was Kop Hill. Norman Dewis was presiding over the Ecurie Ecosse collection that was being seen together for the last time.
A late in the year visit to the Ace popped up this Minx estate. I want one of those.
And finally in automotive terms, the London to Brighton run in December.
Here's to good times in '14.